


The Menagerie

by Lady_Mischievous



Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-29
Updated: 2017-10-29
Packaged: 2019-01-26 05:16:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12549912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Mischievous/pseuds/Lady_Mischievous
Summary: The Karazhan was home to a vast and odd collection of creatures and people. Often Khadgar wondered if he really had a place among them.





	The Menagerie

The Menagerie Curator was like nothing Khadgar had ever seen before. A golem of some sort but far more elegant in design. Clockwork parts were what allowed it to move and it was all powered by an orb-like core instead of spells.

 

Khadgar stood by and watched Medivh toil away to repair it, handing him tools and parts when asked. “It’s incredible that you made something like this, Master...”

 

Medivh pulled away from the open hatch that revealed various gears and wires, his face smeared with a mix of sweat and oil. “I had help with the metal work but I had to figure out how to get this guy moving all on my own.”

 

Medivh wasn’t dressed in his ‘Guardian garb’, instead the magus was dressed in much more casual wear. To Khadgar’s surprise, Medivh avoided wearing his crimson robes as much as he could get away with. He much preferred the comfort and mobility a loose, long sleeve shirt and a pair of trousers offered.

 

Khadgar looked up at the Curator, his eyes scanned over it and drank in its details. “Does he break down like this often?”

 

“That’s not his fault.” Medivh said with a small sigh. He gave the broken Curator a reassuring pat on its frame. “ _I’m_ the one that hasn’t been giving him the attention and care he deserves.”

 

“Why did you make him in the first place, Master?” Khadgar asked.

 

“To watch over the menagerie and protect the tower.” Medivh said like it was the most natural answer in the world.

 

“You talk like the tower doesn’t _already_ have plenty of defenses.” a deep, glum voice drawled. Both Medivh and Khadgar’s attentions were drawn to the entrance of the workshop. Standing there was Moroes, who gave a slow, tired blink before walking towards the two mages. “Need I remind you, Master, that the tower has a small but skilled fighting force and is home to one of the most powerful mages on the planet. Do we _really_ need this clockwork monstrosity as well?”

 

“Of course!” Medivh smirked and hiked his thumb towards the Curator. “Mark my words, one day mechanical constructs like these will be used to defend cities. He’s got a few kinks _now_ but I’ll work them out.” The custodian then shuddered and with a loud ‘clunk’ it slumped forward. Medivh’s mouth formed a tight line, he huffed a sigh through his nose. “...Eventually.”

 

Moroes rolled his eyes at his master’s ‘futurist ideas’. “It’s a hunk of junk, I don’t see why you don’t just scrap that thing and be done with it.”

 

“How _dare_ you! He’s my baby!” Medivh said with mock offense. His words and gestures carried the dramatic flair one would see from one of Barnes’s plays.

 

“Are you quite done?” Moroes asked in a flat tone.

 

Medivh laughed. “So what brings you up here, Moroes? Troubles with Barnes again?”

 

“With all due respect, that’s none of your business, Master Medivh.” Moroes said as he broke eye contact with him. “Cook wanted me to remind you that dinner will be served at six O’clock sharp.”

 

“Oh, alright, that’s plenty of time...”

 

“Which is _now_.” Moroes added in a firm tone. “So would both kindly clean yourselves up and come down to the dining room?”

 

“It’s _that_ late already?” Medivh blinked. “Huh, I was wondering why my stomach was grumbling so much…”

 

“Yes, you missed lunch _ages_ ago, Trust was sent up here to fetch you.” Moroes said as he threw an annoyed look at the boy.

 

Khadgar bit his lower lip when he suddenly remembered. He was so caught up watching and helping Medivh work on the custodian that he completely forgot. He blushed a little from embarrassment and rubbed the back of his neck. “Ah, I’m sorry...”

 

“Save your apologies for Cook.” Moroes said sternly. “Now move along before you both miss dinner as well.”

 

Khadgar looked towards Medivh but saw he was already stepping out the door. A little startled, Khadgar quickly followed after the magus and hurried out the workshop. To his surprise, Medivh was waiting in the hall and offered a smile.

 

“Don’t let Moroes get to you.” the magus said as he started walking with Khadgar down the hall. He looked over his shoulder before leaning towards Khadgar and speaking just above a whisper. “He’s just upset because he and Barnes had _another_ tiff.”

 

“Well, they say even the best of friends will fight.” Khadgar said.

 

Medivh gave a small snort, a smile spread across his face as he looked away from Khadgar. “Yes, the best of friends...”

 

It was joke among the Karazhan denizens that Khadgar was oblivious to fact that Moroes and Barnes were a couple. No one bothered corrected him, the thought of Khadgar realizing it on his own was simply too funny. Still, it had been over a year now and all the hints that had been thrown his way seemed to go over his head.

 

“One thing I don’t quite understand, Master...” Khadgar began, he waited for Medivh to look at him and give him his attention. “Why is the construct called ‘The Menagerie Curator’ if he’s meant to watch more than just the menagerie?”

 

Medivh looked thoughtful for a moment as he worked Khadgar’s question over in his head. “If you take the other meaning of the word into account then the _whole tower_ is a menagerie.” Medivh smirked at the curious look on his apprentice's face. “The term doesn’t only refer to animals. It can also apply to a collection of diverse or strange things or people.”

 

Khadgar frowned slightly as he thought it over. There was a vast array of people and creatures that called the Karazhan home. The portal enthusiast Netherspite, Attumen the Huntsman and his fierce horse Midnight, Moroes the Castilian that was always full of surprises, they were just a few of the amazing people that lived within the tower’s walls.

 

“So, everyone here is a part of your menagerie, Master?” Khadgar asked, wondering if he had a place in this strange collection.

 

“I wouldn’t say it’s just mine, it’s very possible that we’re part of the tower’s collection.” Medivh corrected him. “After all, Karazhan seems to attract all sorts of things. From eccentric playwrights like Barnes to particularly powerful magi like me, and curious little birds like yourself, Trust.”

 

“Me too, sir?” Khadgar said, his eyes lit up a little. “But I was sent here, I didn’t come of my own accord...”

 

“And what of it? Do you think that makes you any lesser?” Medivh reached out and ruffled Khadgar’s hair affectionately. “So what if the Kirin Tor was looking to make use of your insatiable curiosity? You’re here and I’m thankful for that.”

 

Khadgar’s face felt warm, he could feel his heart fluttering in his chest like a caged hummingbird. When Medivh pulled his hand away and started to walk ahead Khadgar craved more of that affection. The Magus’s words swirled in his head as he walked to his own chambers to clean up for dinner.

 

To feel that he was wanted, to feel that he belonged, it was still something Khadgar was trying to get used to. He was given up by his family when his magical abilities began to manifest, turning their simple lives upside down. The Kirin Tor sent him away for his hungry curiosity and bouts of magical mishaps. There was always a fear in the back of his mind that he’d find himself shunned by Medivh for some reason or another as well.

 

Yet here Khadgar was a part of a strange family that lived in their own little world within a tower named Karazhan.

 

-The End-

 

**Author's Note:**

> This bit might be considered more of an AU given that TLG described Medivh only living with Moroes and Cook before Khadgar came into the picture. This depiction is more based off of the Karazhan we see in WoW and Hearthstone's One Night in Karazhan. Probably a lot of my writings featuring Karazhan and RavenTrust will be set up in this kind of AU.


End file.
